Two of the women wore surgical masks to hide their identity as a friend led them into the courtroom.

“Don't take picture please,” said their friend, who did not reveal his name.

Police said two women -- Ok Ja Ko and Heemae Jeong -- agreed to have sex with an undercover officer for $320 at Spa 88. The third woman -- Cheeng Hee Kil -- allegedly provided the other two women for sex.

Reporter Paul Van Osdol asked defense attorney James Herb what kind of work the women were doing.

“I believe they were doing legitimate work. The government believes otherwise, that's what the issue still is. And it hasn't been resolved yet," Herb said. He would not say what kind of business the women were running.

The FBI has said they were investigating whether the women -- all of them natives of South Korea -- were involved in a human trafficking ring.

"I talked to the FBI and they assure me they had no further interest in the matter," Herb said. But an FBI spokesman told Van Osdol that in fact ,they were still interested in the case.

Meanwhile, the spa has shut down and the women have moved out of the area. The judge reduced charges against the women from felonies to misdemeanors and the defendants waived their hearing.

Bridgeville's police chief said it is not unusual for charges in prostitution cases to be reduced from felonies to misdemeanors.

"My client is happy not to be here any longer, wants to put this behind her. Hopefully we can find a way with the District Attorney's Office to make everyone happy at the end of the day," Herb said.